


Always wanted more

by HopeSilverheart



Series: Loving Em at 2AM [55]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), Teen Wolf (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Alec Lightwood is Good With Kids, Banter, But also, Crossover, Cute Max Lightwood-Bane, Cute Rafael Lightwood-Bane, Derek Hale is a Little Shit, Derek Hale is a Softie, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Fluff, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Humour, M/M, Magnus Bane is a Little Shit, Married Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Married Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Stiles Stilinski is Good with Kids, Werewolves, they all are really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25098676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeSilverheart/pseuds/HopeSilverheart
Summary: “I’ve always wanted a daughter,” Magnus admitted after a few moments of silence. “I mean, I always wanted a son too, but ever since we took the boys in, I’ve been thinking about adopting a little girl. I didn’t want to talk to you about it too soon, not after the fiasco of Max’s adoption, but then Derek called me and it felt so much like fate, and I couldn’t wait anymore.”“I’ve always wanted a daughter too,” Alec smiled softly, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind Magnus’ ear. “Growing up, I was the one who looked after Izzy most of the time, and the thought of having a daughter whom I could spoil and cherish as much as I did my sister… I wasn’t sure you wanted another child, honestly, but this little girl really does seem to have been put on our path by fate. As long as this Derek friend of yours approves of us, I don’t see any reason not to take her in.”Or: Magnus and Alec have never talked about adopting a third child, but when an unexpected call brings with it a perfect opportunity, they can't possibly say no.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Loving Em at 2AM [55]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764400
Comments: 7
Kudos: 161





	Always wanted more

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thatnerdemryn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemryn/gifts).



> Fair warning: my knowledge of Teen Wolf includes two episodes of the show, three Sterek fics, and a thirty minute crash course I gave myself this afternoon. This is all for Em and I am 70% sure the editing does not make up for the fact that I am unfamiliar with these characters x)

Alec loved his family more than anything in the world.

He had loved Isabelle and Max from the very first time his parents had set them in his arms, and he had loved Jace even before they had decided to share their soul. He had loved Magnus for years too, and would love his husband for as long as he lived. And of course, he loves his children. He loved Rafael and his sassy comments, and he loved Max’s wonder every time he managed to cast a spell.

He loved them all with his entire heart, and he hadn’t thought things could get any better than they had been for the past three years. Rafael was going on 6-years-old, and Max had just turned 4. Alec’s soul vibrated with joy every time he caught a glimpse of his sons, and it filled with undiluted happiness when Magnus was around.

He had everything he could ever dream of having. Or at least he thought he had everything, right until the point when Magnus joined him in bed one night after they had finally put the boys to bed, a cautious yet hopeful expression on his face. As always when it came to the things that really mattered, his husband stalled for a few moments longer before finally giving in and telling Alec what he wanted to hear.

“I know we already have our hands full with Rafael and Max,” Magnus started, making Alec’s heart speed up. “But an old friend of mine contacted me earlier today, and… Well there’s a girl, barely even two, who just lost her family to a rogue werewolf attack. My friend has been looking for a new family ever since, but it’s been a fruitless effort so far. So he called me, asking if I knew of anyone in the Shadow World who might be willing to take a werewolf child in.”

“She was turned during the attack?” The question slipped out of Alec’s lips even as he thought about the various things they would have to put in place if –  _ when  _ – they took the little girl in. Their loft was warlock and shadowhunter-proof, but a werewolf was a whole other affair.

“Unfortunately so,” Magnus grimaced, his eyes filling with infinite sadness. Alec thought about Maia, who had been turned when she was a teenager but had already suffered so much, and his heart clenched painfully at the thought of a tiny little girl going through the same thing. “And I know we haven’t talked about a third child, especially not when our two mischief-makers are still so young, but Alexander…”

“We should go see your friends,” Alec cut his husband off before he could get any further than that. “And we would have to talk to Maia and Luke, just to make sure our- the girl would have a pack to grow up in. Obviously we can take care of her basic needs and provide her with the love every child craves, but she’ll still need people like her around. And of course, we would have to argue with the Clave again just to make sure the adoption is completely legal. We might even have to talk to the boys jus-”

Magnus’ mouth was on his before he could say anything more, and Alec melted into the touch as he always did. Their lips slid together lazily, their hands splayed on each other’s bodies lovingly, and Alec wondered why his husband had thought even for a minute that Alec wouldn’t agree to taking another child in.

They had never talked about it, and Alec would have never thought to ask if an opportunity like this one hadn’t popped up, but he loved Max and Rafael more than anything – bar Magnus, whom he loved just as much – and he would love this new child too.

When they pulled away from each other, Magnus’ eyes were bright and brimming with tears of love, and Alec couldn’t find the strength to get rid of them, not when they were the result of his husband’s pure happiness.

“I’ve always wanted a daughter,” Magnus admitted after a few moments of silence. “I mean, I always wanted a son too, but ever since we took the boys in, I’ve been thinking about adopting a little girl. I didn’t want to talk to you about it too soon, not after the fiasco of Max’s adoption, but then Derek called me and it felt so much like fate, and I couldn’t wait anymore.”

“I’ve always wanted a daughter too,” Alec smiled softly, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind Magnus’ ear. “Growing up, I was the one who looked after Izzy most of the time, and the thought of having a daughter whom I could spoil and cherish as much as I did my sister… I wasn’t sure you wanted another child, honestly, but this little girl really does seem to have been put on our path by fate. As long as this Derek friend of yours approves of us, I don’t see any reason not to take her in.”

“Oh please, if he was willing to give the child to someone I trust, there’s no reason for him to not give the child to  _ us _ ,” Magnus rolled his eyes. “Besides, I helped that boy more than he cares to admit, so the least he can do is help me in return by letting me adopt another child to care for.”

“You’ve known him for long, then?” Alec inquired. He had never even heard of this Derek, but Magnus spoke of him the same way he did Raphael, which meant Alec was probably about to meet another one of Magnus’ unofficial children. He just hoped he made a good impression on the man.

“Not in the grand scheme of things,” Magnus chuckled. “He’s a werewolf after all, just as mortal as you are, which means it can’t have been more than a decade, maybe two, since I first met him. He was just a teenager back then, full of angst and petty problems and convinced the world was after him, but I hear that he’s grown. He has a partner, apparently, although I’ve never met the elusive husband.”

“That’ll make two of you, then,” Alec pointed out. “And maybe I’ll feel a little less left out if there’s someone else there. No offence but meeting your downworlder children is one of the most stressful things in my life, so I’ll take every ally I can get.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Magnus hummed, warmth infusing his tone. “Derek and you are quite alike in a lot of ways. Very… broody. Also tall, dark, handsome, willing to sacrifice yourselves for those around you…”

“So you’re saying you married me because I remind you of this son-figure in your life?” Alec snickered, rolling away from Magnus to avoid the swat his husband aimed at him. “I’m kidding, of course. I’m glad to know I won’t feel completely out of my depth when I meet this Derek you seem to be so fond of. I suppose you want us to go there as soon as possible?”

“Don’t act as though you’re not as eager as I am to meet the little girl who might just become ours,” Magnus scoffed, although his eyes were still soft and fond. “But yes, I was thinking we could go there tomorrow. Catarina told me she could take care of the boys, so that won’t be an issue. We can talk to them about a baby sister over breakfast and portal to California once we’re done.”

“ _ California _ ?” Alec gaped. “Magnus, how on earth did you meet a teenager in California ten years ago? You were already the High Warlock of Brooklyn back then, weren’t you?”

“Let a man have his mysteries, Alexander,” Magnus pouted, pressing his lips to Alec’s one more time before rolling over and snuggling closer to the shadowhunter, his back pushing against Alec’s chest. “Besides, I’m a warlock. I know mortals from all over the world, whether or not I was living in New York at the time.”

“Still,” Alec murmured against Magnus’ neck. “A bit strange for you to find a werewolf teenager somewhere in California, although I’ll blame that on your need to save everyone around you. I bet the local High Warlock and Alphas didn’t know how to handle him, so they called the most competent man in all of North America.”

“Now you’re just being silly,” Magnus whispered, but Alec could tell he was blushing even in the dark. Neither of them had ever been good at accepting compliments and, although their marriage had changed a great deal of things, that was one thing time hadn’t taken away.

“I’m just being honest,” Alec mumbled, and then he was drifting into the land of dreams, an  _ I love you _ on his tongue and another one whispered into his ear. 

* * *

Rafael and Max were – predictably – over the moon at the thought of getting a little sister. Max was particularly ecstatic, since he had been begging them for a younger sibling ever since he had been old enough to understand being the youngest wasn’t always an advantage. Rafael had only smiled shyly at Alec and Magnus, telling them he would love his sister just as much as he loved Max.

Their reactions had only further cemented their fathers’ decision. If their sons hadn’t been okay with a third child, they might have thought things through for a while longer, but with both Max’s and Rafael’s blessings… Nothing was going to stop them now.

Catarina took their sons off their hands as soon as she was awake, dragging Madzie into the loft and settling down on Magnus and Alec’s couch as though she belonged there. She winked at them as they left, wishing them good luck, and then Magnus was creating a portal to California, and Alec barely had the time to be nervous before his husband was taking his hand and dragging him through.

They came out on the other side right in front of a sign that indicated they were at the entrance of Beacon Hills. Alec had never heard about the town, even though Magnus had explained there was a dense population of werewolves in the area, but then again, he had never really paid attention to things on the West Coast. One half of the American Shadow World was already more than enough for him.

Still, he had to admit the town looked nice. As a New York City child – born and raised – he wasn’t overly fond of little places in the countryside, but he supposed the werewolves would enjoy the forests and greenery in the area. He could also easily picture Magnus spending a few months here, enjoying the relaxed rhythm of a life outside the city without having to worry about the problems New York City brought with all its magnificence.

“Are you coming, or are you going to stare at that sign all day?” Magnus’ voice broke him out of his thoughts, and Alec narrowed his eyes at his husband before hurrying after him, swinging their arms together as soon as he caught Magnus’ hand in his.

“So, did your friend tell you if we were meeting the husband too?” Alec asked, looking around the town. It was really quite pretty, and Alec could understand why someone would want to raise their child in such a place. It was probably a lot safer than New York City, even with all the werewolves around. “Or is it going to be a surprise? You know, I’m curious. You told me this Derek reminded you of me in quite a few ways, so do you think his husband will be anything like you?”

“I highly doubt it,” Magnus snorted. “Derek is a lot of things but attracted to extravagant club owners who dress in glitter and rainbows isn’t one of them. If anything, I think he probably found someone who’s a little bit like Clary and Simon.”

Alec’s eyes widened minutely at the mere thought of him ever marrying someone like  _ Simon Lewis _ . His sister was happy with him, sure, but Alec didn’t know if he would ever consider Simon a close friend, let alone someone he could have married had things been different. It really went to show that being similar to someone didn’t mean your  _ tastes _ were the same.

“You don’t have to look so horrified,” Magnus chuckled. “I’m sure his husband will be wonderful. After all, you get along perfectly well with Biscuit now, don’t you? There’s no reason for the four of us to become anything other than friends, especially considering what we’re here to do today. If there’s one thing I know about Derek Hale, it’s that he values family more than he values anything else. Once again, very Alexander Lightwood-Bane of him.”

Alec coughed to hide his laughter, not wanting his husband to know that he was starting to find his terrible sense of humour funny after years of acting like he was completely unimpressed by Magnus’ puns and bad pick-up lines.

“If you think I didn’t hear that…” His husband murmured, though he thankfully didn’t say anything else.

Instead, he stopped in front of what looked like a completely ordinary house. It was one of those places Alec could have seen in a movie, picket-white fence and everything included. He knew werewolves were just as human as he was, but Magnus had given him the impression that Derek was quite like him, and this… Well, Alec would have never even thought about living in such a place, not in a million years.

“A true downgrade,” Magnus sighed. “The things marriage and age do to you, I swear. The Derek Hale I knew would have never settled for something so fairy tale-like, not even for a beautiful man.”

“Actually, now that you mention it,” Alec said quietly, embracing Magnus from behind. “You have to know there aren’t a lot of things us broody men wouldn’t do for the men we love, especially when they bat our eyelashes at us and sway their bodies enticingly.”

“You say the sweetest things,” Magnus grinned brightly, slapping Alec’s hands away from him just a second later. “Now come on, we have a daughter to meet and friends to reunite with!”

With that, Magnus skipped to the front door and rang the doorbell before Alec could even join him. By the time the door swung open, Alec had barely just caught up to his excited husband, which was probably for the best else he would have done a double take at the sight that greeted him.

Derek Hale and he looked nothing alike, and yet… And yet even before the man had said anything, Alec could see what Magnus meant when he said the two of them were alike. It was slightly disconcerting, but also very reassuring because if there was one thing Alec knew how to do, it was talking to people who resembled him. He had practised in the mirror enough times to know that.

“Magnus!”

The man’s dark eyes lit up as they landed on Magnus, and he swooped Alec’s husband in a tight embrace, clearly delighted to see him. Yet another thing they shared, then, since Alec could never stay away from Magnus when they were in the same room.

Eventually, the two men pulled apart, and Derek’s stern features landed on Alec, an unimpressed eyebrow rising on his face. If Magnus’ amused snort was anything to go by, the expression on Alec’s face was probably a perfect mirror of what he was seeing on Derek’s.

“Hi,” Alec eventually said, smiling warmly at the man. There were a lot of people Alec wanted to intimidate, but Derek Hale wasn’t one of them – none of Magnus’ pseudo-children were, honestly. “I’m Alec Lightwood-Bane, Magnus’ husband.”

“Husband?” Derek asked. As one, Alec and Derek turned to stare at Magnus accusingly. “So I tell you all about Stiles, but you can’t even be bothered to mention you got married at some point in the last five years? I thought I meant more to you than that, Magnus, you could have at least invited me to the wedding.”

“Well, you know how I get…” Magnus grinned. If he thought he was going to get away with that, he had another thing coming for him.

“If you mean that we know how dramatic you can be, then yes,” Alec smirked, sharing a teasing look with Derek. There was no better way to bond with a person than to banter about the one man they had in common. “You probably wanted something like this to happen at some point, with us dropping by and surprising Derek, so you decided not to invite him to the wedding. It’s a low blow, Magnus.”

“A very low blow,” Derek agreed seriously, shaking his head as though he were truly disappointed by Magnus’ behaviour. “You call me your son, act as though I matter to you, and then you don’t even let me be your flower boy? I’m heartbroken, Magnus.”

“And  _ I’m  _ the drama queen?” Magnus exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “I didn’t come here to get attacked by the people who call themselves my family! Now, would you care to introduce me to  _ your _ husband so I can have someone on my side of this ridiculous debate?”

“I don’t know,  _ cariño _ ,” Alec said teasingly. “Maybe Derek should hide this Stiles away for a while longer to give you a taste of your own medicine.”

“It’s not like he invited me to his wedding either!”

“I did,” Derek countered immediately. “But you said something about being too busy with a party, promising you would come around later to meet my other half. I suppose two years is better than never, although I expected you to visit me a little earlier than that.”

“Ah, yes,” Magnus grimaced. “Well, we’re here now!”

“Indeed you are,” Derek laughed, turning around and inviting them into his home. It was just as beautiful on the inside than it was on the outside and, although it wasn’t Alec’s style, he had to admire whoever had decorated this lovely space. “It’s quite nice, isn’t it? Stiles took care of it when he came home from D.C. last year.”

“D.C.?” Alec asked, leaving Magnus to admire the various paintings and sculptures scattered everywhere. “Is that where your husband works?”

“Stiles is part of the FBI,” Derek hummed, a proud smile curling at his lips. “It’s not the easiest job in the world, but they finally let him move back to the West Coast, at least for a little while, so it’s fine by me. And you’re…?”

“A shadowhunter,” Alec answered, chuckling when Derek’s eyes widened. “Head of the New York Institute, to be more specific. I’m also often used as a liaison between the shadowhunters and the downworlders, given my connection to at least one member of every community.”

“Impressive,” Derek said. “You must have worked hard to get to where you are. We don’t have any shadowhunter around here, but I know most of them don’t approve of downworlders.”

“Yeah,” Alec winced. “But I’m trying to make things better.”

“And he’s doing a wonderful job of it,” Magnus cut in, gesturing towards the kitchen. “Did you learn to cook, or is this magical FBI agent also great with food? Because if that’s the case, I might just steal him from you. Alexander isn’t even allowed anywhere  _ near _ our kitchen.”

“Stiles wasn’t either, at first, but he’s gotten a lot better and I can now trust him with simple meals. I still take care of most of it though, since he once managed to almost burn down our kitchen trying to bake,” Derek explained, stepping into the kitchen and visibly lighting up at the sight of his husband.

Alec took a second to look at the new man, chestnut hair sticking up in every direction and bleary eyes softening as they landed on Derek. A dopey smile appeared on his face as his husband leaned over to kiss him, and although Alec didn’t know the two of them at all, he had to admit they made a very nice pair.

“Stiles, this is my friend Magnus and his husband Alec,” Derek introduced them, his eyes turning positively adoring when Stiles waved at them sleepily. “Magnus, Alec, this is my husband Stiles, who isn’t great at waking up before 7 but insisted on making an effort for you, since you were so quick to get back to me about Sarah.”

At the reminder of the reason why they were really here, Alec perked up. Getting to know Derek – and maybe even Stiles – was a nice bonus, but the little girl Derek and Stiles were currently taking care of was their real goal, and Alec couldn’t wait to meet her.

“I’ll admit I was expecting to see someone else with you. Was the family not available today? Because we could have waited a while longer if that’s the case,” Stiles asked, narrowing his eyes at Magnus and Alec.

“Ignore Stiles, he’s just not a morning person,” Derek rolled his eyes, pinching his husband’s side until Stiles stopped glaring at them and turned his glare on Derek instead. The taller man pointedly ignored him, looking at Magnus instead. “Although the least you could have done is actually bring the parent or parents you had in mind, Magnus. Most people tend to want to see their child before they decide to  _ adopt _ them.”

“I assure you, the parents will be seeing this infamous Sarah before adopting her, since we’re right here,” Magnus beamed, gesturing between Alec and himself. Stiles’ eyes widened comically, but Derek only looked at them questioningly for a few moments before his gaze turned understanding.

“I never knew you actually wanted children, Magnus,” Derek said softly. “Are you sure you want to do this? If you just feel obligated to protect Sarah as you’ve done for so many people in the past, I can assure you we’ll find someone else so you don’t have to deal with something you’re not ready for.”

“Besides, you’re one of those warlock guys, aren’t you?” Stiles added. “Are you sure you can handle a werewolf toddler? Magic can’t solve every problem in the world… Can it?”

That last part was clearly aimed at Derek, but Alec chuckled anyways. Magnus had been wrong; this man was nothing like Simon at all. The Clary comparison, however… They were nowhere near as similar as Derek and himself seemed to be, but Alec could see where his husband was coming from.

“No, it can’t,” Alec confirmed, raising an apathetic eyebrow when Stiles’ glare turned to him. “Magic isn’t an all-powerful thing, no matter how much Magnus likes to pretend it is. However, we  _ do _ already have two sons, and that’s prepared us for a third child better than any amount of powers ever could. Magnus volunteered us to take this child in, not because we pity her, but because we both want a daughter and wish to care for those whose parents aren’t around anymore.”

“Sounds like pity to me,” Stiles shrugged, although Alec could tell he had relaxed slightly at the announcement that they already had children.

“You have two sons?” Derek asked, staring at Magnus incredulously. “Not only a husband, but  _ children _ ? I’m offended that you didn’t even consider me to be their godfather, Magnus.”

Magnus opened his mouth, probably to say something dry and witty, but Alec could tell there was a real hint of hurt to Derek’s words, one that Magnus might not be able to see. So he cut his husband to the chase, hoping to minimise the damage Magnus did to his own relationship with this man he clearly cared about dearly.

“Would you like to see them?”

Derek’s gaze snapped towards him, and even Stiles seemed interested in catching a glimpse of Magnus and Alec’s children. He had already been able to tell they liked children based on their clear protectiveness over the girl –  _ Sarah _ – but it was always a pleasure to see people perk up at the mention of cute kids.

He quickly turned his phone on and scrolled through his gallery, finding the perfect video to show the two men – and Magnus, who had leaned in closer to Alec and was smiling at him softly.

“The older one is Rafael, he’s a shadowhunter like me,” Alec explained as Rafael appeared on the screen, chasing after an imaginary foe with his plastic sword in hand. Max came stumbling in after him, his chubby legs struggling to keep up with his older brother’s longer strides. “And that’s Max, a warlock. And yes, we know he’s blue.”

Finally, someone else appeared on screen. Maia’s hair had been put up into two messy braids, her face coloured with lipstick and eyeshadow that clearly belonged to Magnus, but she was smiling brightly at the two children. Max and Rafael squealed as she came barrelling towards them, scooping them up in her arms and tickling them until they were both breathless.

“And  _ that _ is Maia,” Alec finished, glancing up at Derek and Stiles seriously. “She’s one of the boys’ favourite babysitter, and she also happens to be the Alpha of the biggest New York pack. My step-father Luke gave her the position when he stepped down to focus on his new family. I promise you that even though we aren’t werewolves ourselves, Sarah would have plenty of support if she came to live with us. New York is very inclusive of all types of downworlders, and she would have a place in Maia’s pack if it’s what she ends up wanting.”

Derek’s eyes were still fixed on Alec’s phone, so Stiles rolled his eyes and dragged Alec away from Magnus and Derek, who had started whispering to each other. Alec supposed they were probably catching up on lost time.

“Look, I don’t know you,” Stiles started, looking Alec up and down a few times. The shadowhunter didn’t so much as twitch underneath his gaze. If anything, Stiles was the one who looked slightly intimidated by his appearance. Well, Alec  _ did _ have a few seraph blades on him at the moment. “When Derek told me he knew someone he trusted in New York that might be able to find Sarah a family, I’ll admit I assumed he meant a  _ werewolf _ family.”

“And I completely understand if that’s still what you want,” Alec murmured, although his gaze darted to the staircase as a small cry arose from the first floor. “I won’t say it’s what I want, because I would like for nothing more than to bring Sarah home with us and give her the family she deserves, but I would understand if you don’t quite trust us.”

Stiles sighed heavily, making his way towards the staircase and motioning for Alec to follow him. The taller man didn’t even hesitate, hurrying after him smoothly.

“I don’t trust you,” Stiles said. “Not completely, at least. But Derek clearly trusts and loves Magnus, and you seem like a good guy. Honestly, you  _ look _ like a dad, no offence.”

“None taken,” Alec chuckled. His siblings had told him – repeatedly – that he was starting to look less and less like a warrior, and more and more like a middle aged dad with five kids and a husband he adored. They weren’t far from the truth. “My sister tells me that all the time. She reminds me of you, in a way. She didn’t trust me for a long time either.”

“Your  _ sister _ didn’t trust you?”

“Not my biological one,” Alec corrected, immediately realising his mistake. “No, Clary is my… Well, she’ll be my sister-in-law soon, I think, but she’s already a part of the family. She started dating my brother and thought I couldn’t be trusted for quite a while.”

“Right, you’re- Well, you’re an intimidating dude,” Stiles nodded, gesturing at Alec meaningfully and looking away when Alec just levelled him with a blasé look. “ _ Anyways _ , I don’t really know you enough to trust you, but I also think you have great kids who clearly don’t mind being around a werewolf, a support system that’s exactly what Sarah needs, as well as a husband who seems to love you and his children as much as you do. At this point, I’m pretty sure you’re the best people for Sarah; I just think she deserves everything and I’m a little bit afraid the family we find won’t be enough.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why not just take her in yourselves?” Alec asked quietly, stepping into the room that had been turned into a makeshift nursery and instantly zeroing in on the little girl in the bed. She wasn’t really crying, but she was sniffling softly, and Alec’s heart latched onto her immediately.

“We’re really not ready for kids,” Stiles answered simply. He didn’t look heartbroken about it, so Alec took him at his word. “We want a family, and we’ll get one eventually, but as much as I care for Sarah, she isn’t…”

“She isn’t yours,” Alec completed, his eyes never leaving Sarah.

Her hair was a red so dark it looked almost black in the semi-darkness of the room, and Alec could tell she had the brightest green eyes he had ever seen – and he knew Maia’s werewolf form, so that was saying a lot. But more importantly, she was staring right back at Alec, her eyes unblinking and full of curiosity.

She wasn’t Stiles’ and Derek’s, but she was  _ his _ .

“Wow, you look  _ so much younger _ when you smile like that.”

Alright, so maybe the Simon comparison wasn’t so off the mark after all. Alec narrowed his eyes at Stiles and bit back an amused smile when the man raised his hands in mock-surrender. He couldn’t help but wonder how many times Derek had used the same tactic on the poor man, and how long it had been since it had stopped working.

“I’m just saying, you look really happy to see her.”

“Yeah well, what can I say?” Alec shrugged, getting closer to Sarah and looking towards Stiles for permission before picking the little redhead up. She wiggled around in his arms for a few moments, obviously wondering if it was okay to be so close to a stranger, but she eventually settled down and gazed up at Alec. “Hello there, Sarah.”

“Hi,” the girl answered, a shy smile illuminating her features. Alec had gone through this with Max and Rafael already, but he would always be surprised at the feeling of utter  _ belonging _ he got when he picked up one of his children. “Sarah.”

She pointed at herself as she spoke the last word, her voice still childish and her ‘r’ a little stilted, and Alec melted even more. Goodness, the things his family did to him.

“I’m Alec,” he said softly, stroking Sarah’s cheek gently and feeling tears well up in his eyes when she giggled at the touch. “Stiles and Derek thought you might need a new family and, although I know I’ll never be anything like your parents, I hope I can be enough for you.”

“We hope  _ we  _ can be enough for you.”

Alec jumped at Magnus’ voice, but turned his tear-streaked face towards his husband as the warlock sidled up behind him and placed his head on Alec’s shoulder. Sarah gazed at the new stranger suspiciously for a few moments before breaking into yet another grin, her chubby hand reaching up to pat Magnus’ green-streaked hair.

“Ah yes, it seems like I chose the right colour for today,” Magnus chuckled wetly, clearly trying to hold back tears. “You’ve got beautiful eyes, Sarah.”

Alec didn’t know how much time they spent there, admiring their daughter and whispering sweet nothings to her. They had gone through the Shadow World adoption process twice and they knew the hardest thing about it was how fast it was. There were no orphanages for downworlder and shadowhunter children – which was something Alec and Magnus were determined to fix – so finding a new home for a child was usually fast and slightly painful.

Adopting Rafael had been a fiasco, and they both wanted to make sure Sarah had an easier time with it. She was younger than he had been back then, but she was older than Max when they first got him, and Alec had no idea how much she remembered of her biological parents and their deaths.

(He had no idea how much she remembered of the attack that had changed her life forever.)

When they finally turned back towards the bedroom’s doorway, Derek and Stiles had disappeared, and Alec’s heart warmed at the thought that no matter how doubtful they had been about Magnus and Alec taking Sarah in at first, they had been able to see the connection between them as clearly as Alec himself had.

They headed downstairs with Sarah in Magnus’ arms, babbling to herself and playing with Magnus’ necklaces like they were the single most entertaining thing in the world. Given what Alec knew about children, there was a good chance that they really  _ were _ .

Stiles and Derek were talking quietly in the kitchen, and Alec smiled softly as he saw the pair bicker, Stiles throwing a spoonful of jam at Derek and the older man retaliating by smothering Stiles’ laughter with a kiss. They really did seem to fit together perfectly, and Alec had no doubt that they would raise a wonderful family when the time came for them to do so.

“They remind me of us,” Magnus chuckled as they walked into the kitchen. The warlock didn’t even hesitate before picking up a pancake and magically slathering it with honey before handing it to Alec.

“Oh please,” Alec scoffed, sending his husband a grateful glance. “We’re way more adorable than they are.”

“Excuse you?” Stiles exclaimed indignantly, spluttering for a few moments when Alec sent him another one of his patented stares. “Stop with that! I have enough broodiness with Derek on my hands, I don’t need another tall and handsome man shooting glares at me in my life!”

“You think my husband is handsome?” Magnus waggled his eyebrows. “The things we could do with-”

“No, absolutely not,” Derek cut in, his eyes flashing with horror. “You’re like a father to me, Magnus, so  _ please _ refrain from making lewd comments about my husband and your husband and… No thank you.”

“I’m with Derek on this one,” Alec nodded. “You seem like a great guy, Stiles, but you remind me of my younger siblings too much for me to ever even think of taking you to bed. The mere thought is enough to make me nauseous, honestly.”

“How on earth am  _ I  _ considered the drama queen?” Magnus huffed, pointing between Alec and Derek wildly. “You two are the most dramatic people I know. Also Alexander, don’t think I’m not telling Sherman that you think of him as a younger brother. That slip of the tongue is going to cost you, husband dearest.”

Alec and Derek opened their mouths to add something snarky to the conversation, but they were all interrupted by Sarah, who made grabby hands towards the pancakes and moved around in Magnus’ arms. All of the adults turned towards her, shaking their heads fondly, and Sarah preened underneath the attention.

“Not even biologically related, and yet she already takes after you,” Alec murmured into Magnus’ ear.

“She copied that expression straight off Derek,” Stiles chuckled, expertly avoiding his husband’s sharp nudge and letting his glare slide off him like it was nothing. “I’m just saying, you secretly love it when I stare at you, so if our kids turn into attention seekers, I’ll know who to blame. Although you’ll have to learn how to be in the same room as a child without freaking out first.”

“I do not-”

“Oh, but you really do,” Stiles snickered, turning back towards Alec and Magnus seriously. “Which is why you should make me godfather instead of him. I know you were thinking about it, Magnus, but I swear he hasn’t been able to hold Sarah for more than two minutes because he’s afraid of breaking her. It’s adorable, but also definitely not godfather material.”

“You’re a menace,” Derek growled, rolling his eyes at his husband. Stiles turned towards him with a triumphant smile, and Derek leaned in to press a kiss to his nose, obviously completely smitten by the other man.

“Of course I am,” Stiles said proudly. “How else was I ever going to convince you to go out with me? But that’s besides the point.”

“The point that you should be Sarah’s godfather?” Derek raised an eyebrow. “I’ve known Magnus for over half of my life, so I feel like I should get priority, especially since he wasn’t kind enough to tell me he married a man who’s basically my twin.”

“Alec’s twin?” Stiles snorted. “Please, he’s a lot more… Sappy-looking than you. He’s got fatherhood written all over him. See, he even has some dried soup on his jeans; a complete dad. You’re not quite there yet, love.”

“But soon,” Derek said softly, earning himself yet another besotted look from Stiles.

“Soon.”

“Alright!” Magnus clapped his hands loudly, disrupting Sarah’s placement and sending her into a fit of angry huffing. Alec laughed quietly and took their daughter away from Magnus momentarily. “You two are very sweet, and I’ll forever regret not getting to see Derek make a fool of himself at your wedding, but we should really be getting home. You can both be godfathers, just put your names down on the adoption form and hand it over so I can oversee things with our local pack. I assume you took care of your side of things?”

“Of course,” Derek nodded, looking at Stiles smugly as he took out a sheet of paper and wrote his name on it with a flourish. The younger man just huffed before adding his name next to it. “The California Shadow World has officially handed custody of one little Sarah to the New York one, so it’s up to you to make sure everything is legal on your end.”

“And that we will,” Magnus nodded, booping Sarah’s nose and waving the adoption papers in Alec’s face. “Because we now have a daughter!”

“We do,” Alec smiled brightly, holding Sarah closer to himself with one hand and dragging Magnus into an awkward embrace with the other one. “We’re going to love you so much, Magnus and I and Max and Rafael and all your aunts and uncles. You’re going to be the most loved werewolf in all of New York City at this rate, even with Maia in the running.”

“And we’ll visit you too!” Stiles interrupted the moment, squeezing his hands between Alec and Magnus’ arms to pat Sarah’s hair gently. “I’m going to be the best godfather in the world.”

Behind him, Derek groaned, and Alec burst into laughter.

Sarah was the only one going home with them, but he had a feeling that Magnus and he had just adopted two other family members along the way. Not that he was complaining, not at all. After all, Alec loved his family more than anything in the world, and it seemed like Derek and Stiles would fit in perfectly with the rest of them.

He just hoped they were ready for the chaos that was the Lightwood-Bane household.

**Author's Note:**

> Heya guys! Thank you so much for reading! And thank you to [Morgan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylar102/pseuds/Skylar102/works?fandom_id=6856609) for beta'ing this and helping me with characterisation and generally making sure I didn't completely freak out about this. I've been wanting to write Sterek for a while now because I know how much Em loves this ship, but I put it off until now, so... here it is I suppose! I hope you enjoyed it <3
> 
> Love, Junie. 
> 
> (find me on tumblr @hopesilverheart)


End file.
